Using Biological Databases to Improve Biodiversity Assessments: New Methods For Geographic-Based Analysis

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

Identifying areas rich in biological diversity is a critical step towards the conservation of biological resources. This research will evaluate traditional, geographic-based biodiversity assessment methods and develop and evaluate improved methods that use biological collection data. The traditional methods based on species range maps will be the first investigated, followed by two alternative methods using biological collection data for creating tend surface maps of occurrence. Software tools based on all of the methods will be made available. The study will have three main uses. First, it will determine whether traditional methods of biodiversity assessment are subject to error propagation from species range maps, and how and where the errors are likely to manifest. Second, new techniques with trend surfaces should reduce estimation errors in predictions. Third, the software will facilitate the use of collection databases for biodiversity assessment.